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Switch 110V to 220V

06-02-2008, 11:14 PM

Is anyone using the new 4 prong 220V receptacle with any equipment? It seems there is very little switch over wiring available from 110V. I emailed Ridgid and the response is they have no setup, only to 3 prong 220V.

Comment

I am not sure exactly what your referring to, but if your only running 220 volt you should only need the 3 wires one for each hot and the ground, if you have a 110 application with the 220 volt application, (such as a light or a switch for a dust system, or even a starter switch with a 110 volt coil instead of a 220 volt) then you would need the 4 wire in that your to keep the ground and neutral separate and not use the ground wire as current carrying wire or the neutral as a ground substitute.

I really do not know if that answers your question,

on most power tools that are dual voltage, one will need to change wires in the motor, and then the switch should be a double pole single throw switch, so both power wires are disconnected, (some dual voltage tools come out that way some do not, and switch the neutral as well, check out he wiring diagram in your manual) and then the plug changed, if it is a high amperage one should probly change over to a "starter" either manual or magnetic it is a fancy switch that is to have better electrical contacts and last longer and some have additional over load protection.

The "home owner or contractor tools, normally are designed to run on normal house amperage, in the 110 voltage, I have most all of my shop tools switched over 220 as there is less amperage on the wires and the voltage drop is less, so the lights dim less on a hard start, and I think the machines (motors) do better, (for an illustration is is more like two smaller horses pulling instead of one large horse), the may do the same work but the wiring in the building and the contacts and most ever where else is working at half of the amperage, but at twice the voltage. makes running them off of a generator easier on the generator as well. as one is using both halves of the electrical part of the generator instead of half of it.

IN some locations one will never notice the difference and in other locations you will, some will depend on how modern the wiring is the transformers on the pole, and your distance and the wire sizes ran, some of my wiring is (are at lest was when I set up the wood shop) ls 1945/6 special that was ran on a auto start 110volt military surplus generator before a power company ever ran power, so some of the wiring on the farm here is minimal and using 220 is good at keeping voltage drop to a minimum, even tho most of the wiring is slowly being up graded, and the wood shop helpfully will soon have three phase in it.

Push sticks/blocks Save Fingers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
attributed to Samuel Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PUBLIC NOTICE: Due to recent budget cuts, the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil...plus the current state of the economy............the light at the end of the tunnel, has been turned off.

Comment

I built a new home and knew I wanted 220 in the garage for the reasons expressed by BHD. The builder asked if I wanted to maintain the old 3 post 220 or the new 4 post. His indication was the 4 post 220 is the new standard and all newer equipment will be going to this, so it made sense at the time to go with it. I now find very little that has switched over and there is no adapter available, and HD floor help was not that familiar with it when I asked. So, thanks to the “professional” contractor’s advice I now have basically unusable 220 power in my garage I paid extra for, Dang it!

Comment

you should be able to jsut put the new plug on the tool and use it, and wire it correctly, if there is no neutral in the circuit then hook up the two hots and the ground (do not worry about the neutral wire) and make saw dust,

or make your self a short adaptor or adaptors, to go from machine to the receptacle,

If your referring to a range type plug, I have made adaptors many times to suit my needs on a job site, using a range receptacle or dryer receptacle. as it is normally the only easy supply of 220 volt power.

I know this picture does not have the correct ends on it for your needs but gives an idea of what can be done.
Simple the one shown in the picture, or complex with there own breaker box and a number of receptacles on the adaptor unit for different loads, and sometimes at different amperage's. depending on the loads to be used. IN times past they did not have nice little portable air compressors like they do now and you normal had to set up a larger unit and many times it was on 220 volts, or a insulation blower, or even a table saw, so about the only was was to wire into the breaker box, or use an adaptor to get the power one needed at a job site, or out of a welding receptacle if in some ones shop.

the other option is to have a small sub panel put in place of the 4 wire receptacle and then run the appropriate receptacles for your tools in the shop from there,

Push sticks/blocks Save Fingers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
attributed to Samuel Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PUBLIC NOTICE: Due to recent budget cuts, the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil...plus the current state of the economy............the light at the end of the tunnel, has been turned off.